Routing-machine.



No. 695,343. Patented Mar. ll, I902.

W. S. RICHARDS.

ROUTING MACHINE.

(Application filed Tune 18, 1901.)

(No Model.) 2 Sh9etsSheet I.

No. 695,343. Patented Mar. II, 1902'.

w. s. RICHARDS.

ROUHNG MACHINE.

(Application filed June 18, 1901.) (No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

UNITE STATES FFICE.

WILLIAM S. RICHARDS, OF ALBANY, OREGON.

ROUTING-"MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 695,343, dated March 11, 1902.

Application filed June l8 1901. Serial No. 64,986 (No model- To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM S. RICHARDS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Albany, in the countyof Linn and State of Oregon, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Routing-Machines; and I do declare the followingto be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to makeand use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in routing-machines; and its objects, generally,

tatably mounted in said cutter-heads,cu tting tools carried by said cutter-heads, and a continuous pattern-form engaging direct surfaces on the tool-holder and governing the angular relation of said tool-holder to the cutter heads, as well as the angular position of said cutter-heads to the rotating head.

The invention further consists in the employment, in combination with theforegoing elements, of supports and guides for the outer ends of the tool-holders, whereby the easy operation of the same is insured.

The invention still further consists of a rotating table adapted to hold two pieces of work, which areone after the other by the turning of the table moved into and out of position for routing, means for raising the table to bring the work in position for operation upon oneend thereofup to be acted upon by the cutters, and'means for automatically turning the table a half-revolution when the operation of routing is completed to bring the other end of the table and the work thereon beneath the cutter-head.

The invention still further consists of certain other novel features of construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described, and

particularly pointed out. in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a routing-machine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a similar View, on an enlarged scale, of the rotating head and associated parts. Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the same. i Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation of a cutter-head with a toolholder and tool inserted therein. Fig. dis a top plan view of the same parts. Fig.6 is a side elevation, on an enlarged scale, of a portion of the frame, the work-table, and the means for raising and turning said table. Fig. 7 is a detail view of the stationary cam, illustrating the manner in which the points of the cam are lifted by the trip-lugs, and Fig. 8 is a top plan view of said stationary cam.

Like reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

A in the drawings represents the vertical shaft, which carries a rotating head, and B the head, suitably secured to said shaft and provided with the curvedradial arms 0.

D represents the cutter-heads, which carry the tool-holders E and are guided in their course by the form F, secured to the plate 1?, when beingdriven by the rotating head. The vertical flange-plate form F is inserted into a slot G in the top end of the tool-holder E, which extends through the cutter-head D, and thus the tool-holder E acts as a guidingpin and by means of the slot in the top thereof and by being loosely mounted. in the cutter-head as it travels along the form and passes around the corners and to and from them is made to turn and to keep the tool I, which is inserted in its lower end, square with the cutter-groove, making it of uniform width. To enable this operation to beconveniently effected and rendered easier, the shank d of each tool-holder is formed atits inner end with spaced knuckles e, which embraeethe outer end of the arm C and are pivotally connected thereto by a pintle f, which allows'said toolholder to swing in an arcuate path, so that the angular position or relation of the same and the tool-holder to the rotating head may be easily and effectively governed by the form F, so that the face of the routing-chisel will always be normal to the direction of travel of the chisel. When the bedL and table M thereon are raised and the rotating head is made to revolve, the tool I is made to cut the groove Kin the seat J, of the same shape as the guiding-flange of the form F. To support or guide the outer ends of the cutterheads, I preferably form each cutter-head with spaced flanges g to receive between them and to ride upon segmental guide-bars h,

projecting from the arm 0. These guide-v bars are thus adapted to prevent the outer ends of the cutter-heads from tilting or 'getting out of proper alinement and to relieve the pintle-pinsfof the strain,whereby an easy and smoother operation of the cutter-heads is secured.

Q represents boxes secured to the supporting-standard Q and in which the shaft A is mounted to revolve. The bed L, which supports the table M, is mounted upon a shaft L, fitted to slide in the boxes L on the standard Q. The bed is raised through the instrumentality of a rotary cam T, adapted to engage a lug t on the said shaft L. The table M is adapted to rest upon the bed L and to move vertically independently thereof and is mounted upon the upper end of a vertical shaft M, fitted to slide and turn in a box or bearing m, carried by the bed L. The table is of such size as to receive two pieces of work at one time, one resting upon each end thereof on opposite sides of the traverse-line of the shaft M, so that one piece of work will lie upon that end of the table which is immediately above the bed L in position to be operated upon by the cutters when the bed and table are elevated, while the other piece of work will lie upon the outer end of the table, which projects beyond the bed, and is adapted to be brought into position to lie beneath the cutters by ahalf-revolution of the table to reverse the positions of the two pieces of work and to bring the last named into position to take the'place of that lying above the bed L after the operation of routing the latter has been completed. The ends of the table are provided upon opposite sides with lugs or stops it, which are normally adapted to bear against the inner faces of the sides of the bed L to hold the table against independent rotative movement.

The shaft M is rotatably and slidably mounted at its lower end in a fixed cam-bearing U, rigidly mounted upon the frame, and is provided upon opposite sides with lugs 10 to fit and slide within slots it, formed in the opposite sides of the said cam-bearing. The upper face of the cam-bearing U is formed with two cam-faces c and 10, which incline downwardly in reverse directions from opposite sides of said cam-bearing. The points or elevated ends of these cam-faces are formed by vertically-movable guards 'c and w, which partially overlie the slots u and are adapted to yield to allow the lugs to to pass upward out of said slots when the bed L and table M are elevated. When the cam T acts upon the lug t to elevate the shaft L and then to raise the bed L and table M to bring the piece of work upon the inner end of said table up to be acted upon by the cutters, the stops or retain their relative positions and prevent the table from turning; but the shaft M is caused to slide upwardly in the box m and cam-bearing U, whereby the lugs upass upwardly out of the slots u and in so doing press upon the cam-guards t" and 10, which move upwardly under pressure to allow said lugs to pass out of the slots. When the work upon the forward end of the table has been routed, the cam T has made nearly one complete revolution and the slot therein is brought into alinement with the lug t, leaving said lug unsupported, whereupon the shaft L and bed L drop down to their normal positions. The table M, however, is held from moving downwardly to its fullest extent by the lugs u coming in contact with the inclined guards *u' w of the cam U, whereby the stops it are lifted out of engagement with the bed- L, leaving the table M free to turn. As soon as these stops are freed from the bed L the lugs to traverse the inclined faces '1; and w of the cam U until they reach the open portions or sides of the slots 10, when they drop down again in the said slots, this action of the lugs causing the shaft M to turn one-half revolution and to bring the outer end of the table M over upon the bed L and lower said table, so as to cause the stops n to again engage the bed and hold the table from turning. By this means it will be seen that as the bed is lowered the table is turned to move the com pleted work outwardly in position to be readily removed by the operator and to bring the new work resting upon the table into position to be acted on by the cutters when the table is again raised, so that while one piece of work is being operated upon the operator may place another piece of work upon the table to be next acted upon, thus keeping up a continuous feed, economizing time, and increasing the capacity of the machine.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a routing-machine, the combination of a rotating head, cutter-heads pivoted thereto, tool-holders rotatably mounted in said cutter-heads,cutting-tools carried by said cut-' tor-heads, and a continuous pattern-form engaging direct surfaces on the tool-holder and governing the angular relation of said toolholder to the cutter-heads as well as the angular position of the said cutter-heads to the rotating head, substantially as described.

2. In a routing-machine, the combination of a rotating head, cutter-heads pivoted thereto, tool-holders rotatably mounted in said cutter-heads, cutter-tools carried by said outter-heads, guides upon the rotating head upon which the outer ends of the cutter-heads are slidably mounted and a continuous patternform engaging direct surfaces on'the tool holder and governing the angular relation of said tool-holder to the cutter-heads as well as the angular position of the said cutter-heads to the rotating head, substantially as described.

3. In a routing-machine, the combination with a cutter, of a table vertically movable to bring the work thereon into position to be acted upon by the cutter, and means for automatically turning the table upon the descent thereof, substantially as described.

4. In a routing-machine, the combination with a cutter, of a vertically-movable bed, means for operating the bed, a table rotatably mounted upon the bed, means for holding the table against rotation, and means for automatically releasing said holding means for turning the table and restoring said holding means into engagement with the bed upon the descent of the table to a predetermined position, substantially as described.

5. In a routing-machine, the combination with a cutter, of a bed vertically movable toward and from said cutter, means for operating the bed, a shaft rotatably mounted upon the bed, a table mounted upon said shaft and provided with stops to engage the bed to holdit against rotary movement, a cam, and a contact device upon the shaft cooperating with the cam, whereby said shaft is raised and lowered and also turned to turn said table and bring the stops thereon into and out of engagement with the bed, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing wit- 35 nesses.

WILLIAM S. RICHARDS. Witnesses FRANK EGAN, LEO. E. EGAN, 

